Railway brake



Nov. 13, 1934- c. c. KINSMAN 1,980,686

RAILWAY BRAKE Filed June 24, 1932 2 SheetsSheet 2 Patented Nov. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Universal Draft Gear Attachment Company,

Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 24, 1932, Serial No. 619,033

2 Claims. (01. H -505) This invention relates to railway brakes, and, more particularly, to manually operated brake operating mechanism.

One of the objects of the invention is the 6 provision of a new and improved brake operating mechanism having novel means for releasing the brake drum from the hand wheel, whereby the brake drum may move to release position independently of the hand wheel or lever.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved brake operating mechanism having novel means whereby the brakes, when applied by such mechanism, may be gradually released by the hand wheel, or the hand wheel may be released from operative connection with the mechanism for permitting the drum to rotate without moving the hand wheel.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved brake operating 20 mechanism that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, eflicient in operation, easily assembled and which is composed of few moving parts.

Other and further objects and advantages of 25 the invention will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of a portion of a railway car showing the invention in position thereon;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the pawl operating member;

I Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the pawl; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the eccentric bearing;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 7 and Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a section on line 77 of Fig. 2 and 4 Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. '7 but showing the brake operating mechanism in released position;

Fig. 9 is a section on line 99 of Fig. '7.

It is common practice in hand operated brakes to so construct the mechanism that when the brakes are released, the hand wheel is caused to spin. Such an arrangement is objectionable in that the brakeman is likely to move his hand or person into contact with the spinning wheel and suffer an injury either by such contact or by the rotating wheel causing him to fall from the car.

The present invention seeks to remedy this defect by the provision of novel means for releasing the operative connection between the hand lever or wheel and the winding drum when it is desired to completely release the brakes.

It is sometimes desirable that the brakes be only partially released and to provide for this contingency means are provided whereby the brakes may be partially released without disconnecting the brake operating lever or wheel from the brake operating mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference character designates the end of a railway car on which the brake operating mechanism 11 is mounted. This mechanism comprises a oasing 12 secured to the car. This casing comprises a base .plate 13 and a cover plate 14, which together form an enclosure or recess openat its lower end.

- Mounted within the casing on-a spindle 15 is a brake drum 16. The drum is provided with a radially extending arm 1'7, which may be bifurcated for receiving a link 18 of the operating cable. 19., A- pin 21 anchors the cable to the arm 17.

Movable with the brake drum, and preferably, though not necessarily, integral therewith is a spur gear 22 for operating said drum. A pinion 23 rigidly secured to a shaft 24 meshes with the gear for rotating the same. The shaft 24' is eccentrically journaled in a bearing block 25 which, in turn, is rotatably mounted in bearings 26 and 27 on the casing 11. A hand wheel 28 is rigidly secured to the outer end of the shaft 24 for operating the same.

The bearing block 25 has a recess 29 for providing a clearance for the pinion 23 when the parts are assembled. This block is also provided with lugs 31 and 32 for engaging a holding pawl and weight member, as will presently appear.

The block 25 has its ends reduced for engaging the bearings 26 and 27 and has rigidly attached to its inner end a lever arm 33, by means of which the block may be rotated in the bearings 26 for raising and lowering the pinion 23 into and out of mesh with the gear 22.

Suitable pawl and ratchet mechanism is provided for holding the brake in its set position. In the form of construction selected to illustrate one embodiment of the invention, this mechanism comprises a pinion 34 which meshes with the brake drum operating gear 22. This pinion is rotatably mounted on the shaft 35 and rigidly connected to the pinion, as, by being integral therewith, is a ratchet wheel 36. This ratchet wheel is adapted to be engaged by a 2. pawl 37 pivotally mounted on'the pin 38. The pawl is provided with a projecting arm 39 which is adapted to engage the projection 32 when the bearing block 25 is rotated by the lever arm 33.

A suitable weighted pawl engaging member 41 is provided for holding the pawl 37 in released position, as will presently appear. This member is pivoted to the pin 38 on which the pawl 37 is mounted and is provided with a recess 42 for receiving the pivoted portion of the pawl.

A finger 43, see Figs. 3 and 8, below the recess 42 is adapted to engage the pawl 3'7 below its pivot and a finger 44 .above the recess 42 is adapted to engage the projecting arm 39 for limiting the upward movement of the pawl, as will presently appear. The member. 41 is also provided with a projection or finger 45 which is adapted to project in the path of the lug 31 for engaging beneath the same for holding the weighted end 46 of. the member 41 in elevated, or inoperative, position whilethe brakes are being applied. a

When it is desired to partially release the brakes by reversing the movement of the hand wheel, the lever'33 is moved to upright position which will move the lug' 31 out of engagement with the projection 45, but will not disengage the pinion 23 from the gear 22, thereby permitting the weight 46 to move the finger 43 into engagement with the pawl for moving the same out of engagement with the'ratchet Wheel 36 when the brake wheel 28. is slightly advanced. forv relieving the pressure on the pawl.

The rotation of the wheel 28 can'now be reversed to release the brake the desired amount. The lever 33 may now be returned to its former position and the weight of the projecting arm will cause the pawl to engage the teeth of the ratchet 36 for holding the brake in adjusted position. When it is desired to entirely release the brakes, the lever 33 maybe moved through 180 degrees from that shown in Fig. 7 to" that shown in Fig. 8.

The rotation of the eccentric bearing block 25' will raise the pinion 23 outof engagement with. the gear 22 of the brake drum and the lug 32 engaging beneath the projecting arm 39 of the pawl will positively hold said pawl in inoperative position, thus permitting the brake drum to spin in reverse direction for releasing the brakes.

In releasing the brake operating mechanism, the movement of the lever 33 will first disengage the pinion 23 from the gear 22. The weighted member 41 will tend to move the pawl to inoperative position but is not sufficient to release the pawl. On further rotation of the lever 33, the lug 32 will engage the projecting arm 39 for positivelydisengaging the pawl and permitting the drum to freely unwind. When it is desired to operate the drum for setting the brakes, the lever 33 is moved to the position shownin Fig. 7 for lowering the pinion 23 into engagement with the gear 22 and for causing the projection or lug 31 to engage the finger 45 for moving the weighted portion 46 of the pawl engaging member to inoperative position. The weight of the pawl will then hold the same in engagement with the ratchet teeth of the ratchet 36.

What I claim, therefore, is:

1. In a brake'operating' mechanism, a "brake drum, a gear movable with said drum, a brake operating shaft, a pinion on said shaft engaging said gear/for rotating said drum, an eccentric bearing iorsaid. shaft, a lever arm secured to saidbearing for rotating the same, a lug on said bearing, a second pinion engaging said. gear, a

ratchet wheel movable with said second named.

pinion, a pawl engaging said ratchet wheel, said pawl having an extension. positioned above said eccentric bearing, a pawl operatingiweighu having a finger for engaging said lug for. holding said weight in inoperative position when said bearing is in one position, a projection on said weight for engaging. said pawl for releasing the same when said lever ,arm is in another: position and means'on said bearing for engaging said pawl extension-"for positively holding said pawl in inoperative position when said lever arm is moved to a third. position.

2. Inarailway brake operating mechanism, a brake drum, brake operating mechanism for operating said drum, said mechanism comprising a gear and pinion, a shaft for operating said pinion, a pawl for holding said drum in brake holding position, a shifting member, and means for automatically releasing said pawl when said member is moved to one position and said drum is slightly advanced, and means for releasing said drum from said shaft when said member is moved to another position.

- CHARLES C. KINSMAN. I 

